~ politics for the people

Its Christmas sanction time… – The Poor Side of Life

What more dire comment on the Coalition government and Iain Duncan Smith’s DWP do you need, other than this, from The Poor Side of Life?

Yes it’s that time of year. The run up to Christmas.

The time of year where Jobcentre staff are told to reach their quota of sanctions before the Christmas holidays. You see they can’t sanction for those few days.

But the person either on JSA or Universal Credit must constantly search for jobs. Even on Christmas day. Even on Boxing day. Even when you have the audacity to be ill.

Today a man found out that he had been sanctioned because he was ill in bed with a severe chest infection. He wasn’t shirking. He wasnt pretending. He was ill. The doctor had given him a sick-note. But this isn’t good enough. Even though this cruel government say that when you are unemployed you are allowed to be ill twice in a year. Yes twice. We feel blessed that they allow us this grace…

Only we do not feel blessed. We feel downtrodden, humiliated, suicidal. This man will go without Christmas this year… how is this right? It isn’t.

4 thoughts on “Its Christmas sanction time… – The Poor Side of Life”

At Xmas they will trick you into a sanction- they can also get you after New Year- One way is to hand you a letter and say to you “apply for this job”- She does not tell you “hurry up though, applications close in 2 hours”- This is 2 weeks before your last signing for Xmas period. When you read the letter the next day or later that day, it is already too late- When you next go to sign, she finds out you didn’t apply and you get a sanction over Xmas- No money for 5 or 6 weeks due to holidays etc.
Here’s the best one though- You sign on last time for Xmas period. She says- Your next signing is 14th January and she hands you a notification of it. You take mental note and don’t bother reading the notification. It says 7th January. There is no proof that she lied to you etc. You’re screwed- Instant sanction for signing on a week late. Won’t fool everyone, but it catches a few. Be very very very cautious and pay special attention when you next sign on- and also esp. the last signing of the year.